Demon's Reality
by crimson-knight87
Summary: The very souls of the monsters that dwell within Yuri's mind have been made a reality. Can Yuri calm the beasts before the world is destroyed by them?
1. Nightmares

Note and disclaimer: This is a non-canon story focusing on the first Shadow Hearts. There will be mature scenarios throughout the story, so discretion is advised. I do now own Shadow Hearts or anything related. Enjoy the story.

**Shadow Hearts - Demons Reality**

Chapter 1 - Nightmares

Yuri lay in his bed, tossing and turning like a wild animal. He was having the same damned nightmare that he had been having for the last few days. It always started with him laying in the graveyard that was his subconscious, the rank stench of decay all around him. As he slowly stood up, he would look around and notice that the gravestones that contained the fusion souls were standing tall, almost majestically, but somehow they seemed to be leering over him, which made him all the more uncomfortable. From out of nowhere, the four masks would emerge right in front of him, and begin taunting him.

"Ho ho ho, so, the young Harmonixer returns once again. What makes you think you can contain the power you weild, boy?" The sword mask would proclaim.

"Ha ha ha, look at yourself, you're trembling even as I speak, don't deny it, I can see the fear in your eyes," goaded the staff mask.

"Yee hee hee hee, your power is wavering boy, can't you feel the despair all around you, your mind is giving up on you!" cackled the grail mask.

"Gwahahaha, I believe it is time to show you just how powerless you are!" the gold mask would bellow.

"Just try me you freaks," Yuri shouted, "I'll face all of you at once if I have to!"

"Ha ha ha, you have us wrong, we have no intention of fighting you. No, instead, you will be fighting the very souls that dwell within you!" the staff masks voice was like being caught in a massive thunderstorm, deep and booming.

With that, the masks would vanish.

A dark sense of foreboding swept over the graveyard, and a seering pain would enter Yuri's head. All around him, the gravestones would begin emitting an eerie red glow, which grew in intensity. An almighty explosion would occur, sending Yuri flying, his head connecting with a nearby tree. Dazed and confused, he stood once again, and before him would stand the souls of the fusion monsters that resided in his body, their menacing eyes peircing his very mind.

This was usually where Yuri would wake up in a cold sweat, but not this time, this time was different. Without warning, the monsters lunged toward Yuri. There was nothing he could do to stop them as they began delving into his soul.

"You who are not worthy of containing us, release us from this hell unto the world. We shall show you what true power really is!" roared Amon, the soul of destruction, it's voice like a hundred nails being pulled down a blackboard.

An incredible surge of pain ripped through Yuri's chest, as in turn, each monster forced their way out of his mind. Amon turned and looked at Yuri as he was about to exit, and gave him what looked like a wry smirk. The heavy wrought iron gate slammed shut behind Amon. Then there was darkness.

"AAAAARGH!" Yuri sat bolt upright in his bed, his head was pounding like a jackhammer, his vision was blurry and his hearing was distorted. Alice woke with a shock.

"Yuri, what is it, what's wrong?" She questioned.

"My head...my head feels like it's split in two. The pain won't go away!" he screamed back.

Alice rushed over to him and grasped his shoulders tightly.

"It's going to be alright Yuri, just stay with me and try to calm down, you can make it through this!"

The pain seemed to be getting worse as he sat there. It felt like his entire world was about to end, and his head was going to separate from his body when...it suddenly stopped. The pain, the blurriness, the incoherency. It all suddenly vanished. Yuri sat, breathing heavily.

"What is it?" Alice asked.

Yuri stared blankly back at her "it's...gone. The pain's gone, just like that!"

Alice hugged Yuri, "you frightened me there Yuri, it looked like you were going to die!"

"Well, it sure felt like that. I'll take the pain from that voice in my head any day then have to go through that again. It's strange, but I feel...different now. I can't quite put my finger on it!"

Alice sighed "well, at least you're alright now, just promise me you won't do that again!" She smiled, and Yuri smiled back at her "I'll try not to!" he replied.

"Well, seeing as we're both wide awake now, we might as well get ready. I'll just go and get changed." Alice headed for the bathroom door and shut it behind her. Yuri slumped back into bed.

"_Why was my nightmare different this time?" _He thought to himself, "_the look on Amon's face as he went through the gate, I can't get it out of my head. I have a bad feeling about this!"_

It would soon occur to Yuri that his feelings would be proven very, and terrifyingly true.


	2. Forron's Fury

Chapter 2 - Forron's Fury

"Aah, it's good to be able to finally see the sights of France again, after all this time," Keith exclaimed, an expression of sheer delight on his face, "England was nice and all, but it's good to go back to your roots now and again."

"Well, it sure makes a change finally having some peace and quiet around here anyway, not having to worry about any Demon's Gate Invocations or crazed lunatics trying to destroy the world!" Yuri laughed.

As Yuri, Keith and Alice were slowly walking down the sloped cobbled street down into Rouen town, they couldn't help but think that life was finally going to start to get back to normality. After all the events at neameto and the destruction of Meta-God, they definitely deserved a break. Zhuzhen had returned to Shanghai, to see if he could help repair the damaged city, thanks to the Seraphic Radiance. Margarete said she still had business to take care of in England, and so stayed behind, and Halley departed to America with Koudelka, his mother. Now, it was just the three of them, with no cares in the world.

"I wonder how that old coot is doing over in Shanghai?" Yuri questioned, "I miss his ramblings to be honest!"

A puzzled look came over Keith's face, "sometimes I couldn't tell if you two were going to go for each others throats!"

Yuri chuckled, "aah it was all in good fun, we'd never have harmed each other...well, much!"

The pair of them suddenly realised that Alice had stopped dead in her tracks, a look of discomfort on her face.

"Hey Alice, what's up?" Yuri asked.

"Can you guys smell burning?"

Yuri and Keith took in a deep breath, and an acrid stench of burning flesh hit their noses, making them want to heave.

"You're right, something's definitely burning, and I don't think it's the baker burning his bread either!"

"Hey you two, look over there!" Keith pointed to the horizon. Thick plumes of black smoke were billowing towards the sky, and they could make out the flickers of flames coming from some of the buildings.

"Rouen's on fire! Come on, we've gotta see what's going on!" Yuri proclaimed as he grabbed Alice's hand and rushed down towards Rouen.

It was like a scene from a disaster movie. Houses were being burnt to ashes as the flames danced around the woodwork. People were fleeing in terror, and amongst the rubble, Yuri could make out the burning carcasses of what were men, women and children, the very sight sent chills running down his spine. The sun had been blotted out by the thick fumes that were choking everyone around them, and the streets were glowing an angry red. Alice held her hands to her mouth, "this is terrible, what could have caused such devastation?"

Yuri noticed a young man running by them, he grabbed his arm and turned him around forcefully.

"Hey, what's happened here, what's going on?"

The man was wide eyed and covered in ashes, "please, let me go, I have to get out of here!"

"What happened here!?" Yuri repeated, shaking the man.

"A monster, a terrifying monster appeared out of nowhere and started burning the city. It's as if the gates of hell had opened up. Now please, let me go!"

Yuri released the man, his mind began racing "_No, it couldn't be, could it? That was just a dream!" _An ear piercing roar broke his train of thought.

"It seemed to come from near the church, come on Yuri!"

The trio rushed towards where the sound seemed to have come from. As they dashed and turned down the small alleyways between the houses and burning rubble, they came to a small square, and what was once the church, now there stood an ashen coloured shell, a husk of it's former glory. Leering on top of the roof was a monstrous shadow, as menacing as a gargoyle. The figure spoke in a voice that was tainted with rage.

"What have we here, it's the feeble Harmonixer, unable to contain our power!"

The figure leapt off the structure and hit the street with an almighty thud, stones and cobbles being flung into the air. Before the trio stood a gigantic beast, it's four arms pulsating with muscles, and it's gnarled teeth were twisted in an insane grin. It's eyes glowed a deep grey, and they were staring right at Yuri, who simply stood transfixed at the sight in front of him.

"Do you not recognise me, human?" the demon questioned.

Yuri hesitated a little, still unsure whether what he was seeing was real, then replied, "yes, I know who you are, Forron, but I still don't believe that this is real! How have you come to be out of my body and mind, and able to walk independently of me?"

Forron smirked a let out a gruff laugh. "We grew tired of not being able to show our true powers. We knew that, with enough time, you would dwindle, and your control over us would wane. We simply had to bide our time before we could release ourselves from you." The creature raised two great arms. "Look around you, this is the true power that you have long since missed out on. Can you not see how weak you are now?"

Yuri shook his head, "You're wrong, I would never use my fusion powers for such devastation as this, and you're a fool for thinking so!"

"Hmph, but where's the fun in that?" Forron shrugged, "this is why humans like you are so naive. Think of what you could have done with our strength, our raw power. You could have become something of a god to others. Now you will never have that chance!"

"SHUT UP!" Yuri shouted, "I've heard enough of your bullshit, it's time for you to go down!"

Yuri concentrated all of his mental energy, and braced himself to undergo the fusion transformation. But instead of feeling an overwhelming amount of energy coursing through his body, he only felt his muscles tensing up and the piercing gaze of Forron upon himself. Forron laughed scornfully, "how very naive of you, do you not realise that without us, you cannot fuse!? You are totally and utterly worthless!"

"Heh, we'll see about that!" Without warning, Yuri lunged at the beast. Alice screamed in protest, but it was to no avail. Without even flinching, Forron raised a gigantic fist, which connected with Yuri's chest, and sent him hurtling towards a nearby inn. A heavy thud followed as flesh met with stone, and Yuri collapsed to the floor. Alice and Keith rushed towards him. "Are you alright?" Keith questioned.

"Well, apart from being flung into a stone wall, which could have broken several bones in my body, I'm fine!" Yuri replied, spitting blood. He shakily got up to his feet. "Is that the best you can do?" He asked Forron tauntingly.

"That was just for starters, harmonixer!"

Forron started emitting flames of his own, which spiralled around him and ended up at his hands. He raised all four out in front of him and proceeded to unleash four gigantic fireballs, which hurtled towards the trio.

"Duck!" Keith cried as he fell to the floor. The wall behind them exploded in a torrent of wood and glass, which cascaded down onto them. Keith was the first to stand up, battered and bruised. He wunsheathed his sword from it's hilt.

"By the Demon Sword Tyrving, I swear, foul creature, that your life shall be taken by me!" In the blink of an eye, Keith dashed towards Forron and plunged the sword straight through his chest. Forron grunted, but remained motionless. Keith suddenly felt a hand tightly wrapped around his neck, which lifted him clean up off the floor and sent him crashing down face first, the pressure of the impact sending a cloud of ash in all directions. Forron stood triumphant above Keith, the sword still embedded in his chest. He pulled it out with no effort at all and flung it behind him, a menacing laugh escaping his mouth.

"Do you see, you can bring all the swords and blades you want, they are useless against me!" As Forron was speaking, the wound from the swords impact was healing up before everyones eyes. Alice turned to Yuri, desperation in her eyes. "What can we do Yuri, we haven't faced something this powerful for a long time!?"

"Well, it seems nothing we're doing is working does it? How can I fight the very monsters that have spawned from my conscience!?"

Forron slowly walked towards Yuri, a menacing look in his eyes and his muscles bulging. "How very pathetic you look, lying there all weak and helpless. To think that I was once part of you!"

"He may not look it, but Yuri has more strength than any of you monsters may think! He can stand up aginst you!"

Forron glared at Alice, "huh, I don't remember asking you anything!" He flung his arms at Alice and shoved her to one side. Alice screamed as she slid across the ground, her clothes ripping and her skin being torn.

"ALICE!" Yuri yelled. Deep within him, an inner rage was starting to build, he could feel himself tensing up, his voice was suddenly very low and ominous, "you can push me around as much as you want, you can take me to the very depths of oblivion if you have to, but you will never lay a finger on her and live to regret your decision! It's time for you to pay the price, monster!" Yuri leapt into the air, and before Forron had a chance to think, he drove his fist into the creature's skull. Forron, taken aback by this, was flung backwards into a nearby stack of barrels, it's contents spilling all over the floor. Forron spluttered.

"Guh....what.....what is this....feeling!" He muttered as he got to his feet again.

"It's called pain, and you're going to get accustomed to it very quickly!" Yuri replied as his left fist connected with Forron's stomach. A relentless barrage of punches and kicks were suddenly bombarding Forron, and for the first time, his face wore a look of fear on it. A powerful punch from Yuri once again sent Forron to the floor. "GET BACK INSIDE MY MIND!" Yuri roared as he put all his power into his hands and drove them into Forron's chest. The impact was so great that his fists went clean through Forron's body. The monster cried out in pain and started shaking wildly. It's eyes glowed a brilliant white, and all of a sudden, Forron burst into thick streams of light. The streams came together to form an orb in front of Yuri, which shot towards his head and drove itself into his mind. A surge of pain brought Yuri onto his hands and knees, and, from somewhere in his head, a familiar voice spoke to him.

"It seems you truly ARE worthy of me, harmonixer" Forron declared, "may my powers be yours to control from now on!"

The pain subsided. Yuri collapsed onto his back, breathing heavily. He heard footsteps come towards him, and saw Alice and Keith bending over him.

"Yuri, thank goodness you're alright," Keith said with a hint of relief. He reached out his hand and pulled Yuri onto his feet. Alice gave him a hug, tears rolling down her ash covered face.

"I was so worried Yuri, I was afraid we were all going to die!"

"So did I at one point, but then, I remembered something. Forron, the fire demon, represents my bravery in the face of adversity, my inner strength. I thought if I showed my resolve towards him, then I would win. It turns out, my hunch was right."

"So, does this mean that there are more of these monsters roaming the world now?" Keith questioned. Yuri nodded his head.

"I'm afraid you might be right there Keith. It looks like my nightmare has become a reality, and to win, I'm going to have to confront my own demons to stop them, and I don't think it's going to be easy.

"So, what do we do now?"

"We're going to go on a little adventure again. Who knows where these monsters are by now!"

Alice looked around, the buildings were now nothing more than wooden shells. "What about Rouen?" She asked.

"Well, it's safe to say that the town is in ruins, but I hope most of the townspeople got out safe. I think we should go look for them, and see if we can get any more information off of them!"

Alice and Keith nodded in agreement, "good idea, let's get out of here!"

The trio started heading towards the gates to the town, as all around them, Rouen was being burning away to nothingness.


End file.
